Machinery fob solidifying liquefied solids



C. BATES.

MACHINEFOR SOLIDIFYING LIQUEFIED SOLIDS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4.1916.

Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l C. BATES.

MACHINE FOR SOLIDIFYING LIQUEFIED SOLIDS.

APPLICATION FILED 020.4. 1916.

1. 09,995. Patented Jul 15, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Ten s aTes PATENT neuron,

CARLETON BATES, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES GLUE COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

MACHINERY FOR SOLIDIFYING LIQUEFIEZD SOLIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application filed December 4., 1916. Serial No. 134,909.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLETON BATES, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Solidifying Liquefied Solids,,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to machines which are employed for solidifying liquefied solids such as glue, gelatin, and the like in which the liquefied solid is spread upon a drying surface, preferably a conveyer belt, which traverses a cooler and is there set by exposure to a current of chilled air.

One object of the present invention is to increase the efliciency of such machines by eliminating a tendency to froth which often occurs in the liquid, particularly Where it is passed through pumps, and which if not removed results in the formation of bubbles in the solid and impairs the quality thereof. In the past it has been the practice in devices of this class to do all of the cooling by means of chilled air but I have found that it is advantageous and more economical and increases the cooling efliciency of the device to precool the liquid by means of cold water before it is spread upon the conveyer belt. I also so construct the cooling chamber as to permit a larger volume of cooled air to come in contact with the solidifying liquid, without raising the velocity of the current of chilled air, and so eliminate any tendency which such current of air has to rufiie the surface of the liquid. Another object of my invention is to so construct the refrigeration chamber apart from the machine so as to be able to use the air cooled by it in various separate cooling chambers; also to dispense with the customary refrigeration chamber during cool weather, thus effecting great saving by eliminating the cost of the refrigerant and thus obtaining in addition an increased dryingeffect by the removal of additional moisture from the solidifying mass. It is a further object of my inven-- tion to deliver the liquefied solids in strips so as to dispense with the necessity of the longitudinal, rotary knives or other cutting means. I thus have a simpler machine and avoid the necessity of constantly sharpening, cleaning, and adjusting the knives.

This invention may be applied to any of the well known devices for solidifying liquefied solids by means of a conveyer belt traversing a cooling chamber, throughwhich cooled air is caused to circulate, such for instance as is disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,046,307 to M. Kind, dated December 31, 1912. The entire machine which is utilized for the cooling of liquefied solids is not shown, a suliicient portion only of said machine being shown to enable the invention to be fully disclosed.

To this end the invention consists of a double chamber box so arranged that the liquid is drawn off from the bottom of the first chamber and is thus delivered free from froth through the top of the second chamber. The liquid is then drawn over a water cooled riflie board so constructed as to give an unusually large surface in contact with the metal which is kept cool by running water. From this it is delivered into a feeding box and from there through a suitable feeding device over the conveyer belt, preferably outside of the cooling chamber; By making the riflle board with an undulatory surface and thus keeping the liquefied solid circulating, I prevent any tendency which such liquefied solid may have to set up the riffle board, and deliver the liquefied solid to the feeding box at the delivery end of the riffle board at a uniformly cool temperature. I regulate the rate of flow over this riflie board by the angle of=elevation'thereof; and I also regulate the rate of flow of the water therethrough by any suitable valve such as a valve or tap, to the end that the liquefied solid is delivered to the feeding box at a temperature at which it is about ready to set, and in practice I can get the liquefied solid to set almost immediately after it enters the cooling chamber. In practice I have the current of water flow against the current of the liquefied solid so that the board is coolest where the liquefied solid is about to be discharged therefrom. By making the rifileboard with an undulatory surface and by keeping the liquefied solid circulating it prevents a tendency to cool upon the bottom and not on the top.

In the past it has been the practice to make the cooling chamber of the same size throughout andto cause the air to be entered preferably at the delivery end thereof and to remove it, at the entrance end thereof. With this construction it was found necessary to have the air very cool and cause it to traverse the compartment very slowly as otherwise the increased velocity of the air at the delivery end, .wherethe substance to be cooled is still liquid, owing to the increased volume due to the expan sion thereof, by contact with the heated liquefied solid, roughens the surface of the liquefied solid, which remains when it is set, thus injuring the solid in its appearance and lowering the efiiciencyl I construct the coolin chamber by using a plurality of intakes %three being shown in the drawing, although I do not limit myself to this number), and increase the height of the top of the cooling chamber over the belt progressively, as theend of the cooler at which the feeding 'box is situated is reached and from which end the air is withdrawn. By means of this I allow for the expansion of the cooled air due to contact with the heated liquefied solid.

I find that better efliciency is secured by having the chilled air inlets on top of the cooling chamber as this distributes the air more uniformly. I also prefer to have the coolin chamber inclose the operative portion 0 the conveyer belt only,thus eliminating the dead air space. It is often convenient to have a similar chamber surrounding the return of the conveyer belt to use it .as a return air duct.

By using the central refrigeration chamber which is preferably on the roof of the building in which the machine is located, or on its upper floors, I am able to conduct the air by fans and ducts (not shown) to various machines and so operate more than one from the same refrigeration chamber. This further enables me, by having the refrigeration chamber provided with large doors, to open these in cool weather and thus dispense with the refrigerant, obtaining my supply of cool air directly from the outside, by which means I further obtain an increased drying effect as the fresh air removes additional moisture from the solidifymg mass.

As it is desirable at times to have the liquefied solid delivered in sheets of narrow width, I employ a plurality of belts (two being shown in the drawings, although I do not limit myself to this number), or employ a plurality of beads upon the belt or belts, dividing it into longitudinal sections. As a result of this I can cause the liquefied solid to solidify in sheets of any desired width and depth and to dispense with the rotary cuttin knives or other device for longitudina 1y dividing the solidified surface, by Igegulating the flow and the speed of the Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 indicates a vertical section of the box, rifile board, feedin' box, cooling chamber, and introductory ucts thereto; Fig. 2 indicates an end view of the feeding device shown at the right hand end of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 indicates a section through the water compartment of the riflie board; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 indicate vertical, horizontal, and transverse sections through the refrigeration chamber respectively; and Fig. 7 shows a cross section through the end of the cooling chamber and extension ducts thereof on the line 77 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and to the preferred embodiment of my invention therein shown, 1 indicates the double chamber box containing the liquefied solid 2, and being divided into two chambers by the wall 3, leaving an opening 4 at the bottom thereof. The liquefied solid runs off from the top of the box 5 through the chute 6 (which may be omitted) on to the rifile board 7, and flows down its undulatory metallic surface 8, and is deposited in the feed box 9.

The froth is thus lefton the surface of the liquefied solid 2. The liquefied solid proceeds down the undulatory surface 8 of the riflie board 7. The liquefied solid is kept constantly circulating as it passes over each of the undulations and thus is delivered to the feeding box 9 at a uniform temperature throughout the mass and one which is very little above the point at which it sets.

Referring to Fig. 3 which shows a sectionthrough the water compartment of the rifi'le board 7 this is cooled by a constant stream of cold water which enters through the aperture 10 and is made to flow past the entire undulatory metallic surface by means of the alternately disposed baflie plates 11 until it finally emerges from the outlet 12.

The portion of the rifiie board 7 through which the water circulates is entirely ina closed between the bottom 13, the sides 14, and the undulatory surface 8. The side 14 is made to extend above the said undulatory surface 8 so as to form an edge on each side of the said riflie board to compel the liquefied solids to remain upon the rifiie board throughout the entire extent of its travel.

The feeding box 9 is an open top box of sufiicient capacity to hold a considerable supply of the liquefied solid and having communication through the pipe 15 near the bottom thereof with the feeding device 16 shown particularly in Fig. 2. There are as many of these feeding devices 16 as there are belts or longitudinal portions between beads on the belt or belts,. and they are furnished with perforations 16' on the'under side thereof through which the liquefied solid is conveyed to the belt or belts. They may also be furnished with cocks 15. so that one or more of the feeding devices may be temporarily shift off when it is desired for any reason.

, her 18 and in the return duct therefrom 21.

This return duct is merely an extension of the cooling chamber 18 and may be used for returning the air to the refrigeration chamber or may be omitted if desired. The communication between the cooling chamber 18 and the return duct 21 is effected by means of a connecting duct 22 which at the upper and lower ends thereof preferably extends to a considerable distance beyond the width of the belt 17 so as to permit the air to. pass around the oonveyer belt. This is shown more particularly in Fig. 7 which is a section through the cooling chamber and return duct of Fig. 1 on the line A A looking in the direction of the arrow. This connecting duct 22 is also provided with a door or outlet 23 which may be opened and allowed to communicate with an outside win- (low when the machine is used in the winter, thus allowing the cooling air after use to be delivered directly out doors and not be returned to the refrigeration chamber,

The door 23 may be located on any part of the return duct 21 that is most available to the external opening in the building, although I have shOWn it in the drawing, Fig. 1, on the connecting duct 22.

The conveyer belt 17 is shown in Fig. 2 as being made in two parts 17 and 17' respectively, each of which are provided with beads 18' at the edges thereof. If preferred these belts may be made in one piece, having heads at the edges and so disposed therebetween as to divide them longitudinally into strips of any desired width. The height of the beads may be varied so as to make the liquid when solidified of any thickness desired, due regard being had to the length that it is required to be kept traversing the cooling chamber. This difference in thickness at which the liquefied solid is poured and the time required for its solidification may bothv be regulated by varyingthe speed of the conveyer belt 17 andif necessary the rate of flow thereon by means of the cocks 15, although I find that ordinarily merely varyin the speed of the conveyer belt 17 will of itself give me the desired thickness and length of time. traversing the cooling chamber.

The cooled air is led into the cooling chamber 18 by means of a leading duct 24, from which are dependent ducts 25. The drawing, Fig. 1. shows three of said ducts but I do not limit myself to this number. but may use two ducts or more depending principall y upon the length of the cooling chamber 18 and the thickness of the liquefied solid that I desire to cool. 'In practice 1 have found that three ducts is generally the best number to employ, particularly in making glue or gelatin. As the chilled air entersinto the cooling-chamber 18 through the first of the ducts 25, that is, through the duct 25 which is closest to the delivery end 26 of the cooling chamber, it comes in contact with the liquefied solid on the surface of theconveyer belt or belts 17 and absorbs some of the heat therefrom, thus expanding. The same is true as it continues to move toward the feeding end of said cooling chamber as shown by the arrows. (The conveyer belt 17 in the meantime moves in the opposite direction as shown by the arrows.) This expansion of the chilled air is allowed for by increasing the height of the cooling chamber progressively as it nears the feeding end thereof. This also allows for increased volume of air that is forced into the cooling chamber through the additional ducts 25, and keeps the velocity thereof substantially uniform throughout .the cooling chamber.

The chilled air is led from the rcfrigerzh tion chamber shown in. Figs. 4, 5, and (S, which show vertical, horizontal, and transverse sections thereof respectively, through any suitable duct 27 which cominmnicates with the leading duct 24, and circulation is caused by means of a fan or other device 28.

and the return duct is shown as entering at 29. This refrigeration chamber is provided at the end thereof farthest from the fan with a large door or-doors 30 which are arranged on the outside of the building and are so constructed as to permit their being opened and admitting dry cold air directly from the outside in winter, thus dispensing with the use of a refrigerant. This is also an additional advantage in that the chilled air when it comes in contact with the liquefied solids in the chamber 18 takes up a certain amount of moisture. from the liquefied solid on the surface of the conveyer belt 17, and part of this is deposited on the surface of the refrigeration pipes 31 in. the form of thickfrost. When fresh cold air from outside is used it is drier than refrigerated air. and thus operates more efficiently to dry as well as solidify the liquefied solids.

Having fully described my invention. I claim: v

1. A machine for cooling liquefied solids of the class described having a plurality of cold air ductsleading from the air supply to the cooling chamber, said cooling chamber progressively increasing in size from the air entrance end to the air exhaust end thereof.

2 In an apparatus for solidifying liquefied solids the combination of a cooling chamber; a conveyer; means for supporting and causing the conveyer to traverse the cooler; "means for feeding the solids in liquid form to "the conveyer traversing the cooler; a plurality of intakes or openings through which chilled air enters said cooling chamber; means for allowing'for the progressive,

expansion of said. chilled air Within said chamber; and means for causing the circulation of chilled air Within said cooling chamber.

3. In an ap aratus for cooling liquefied solids, the com inationof a froth remover; a preoooler; a cooling chamber; a conveyer; means for supporting and causing said conveyer to traverse said oooliing chamber;- means for feeding the sald solids in llquld form to the conveyer traversing said cooling chamber; and means for causing the circulation of chilled a1r Within the cooling I chamber.

said solids in liquid form to the conveyers traversing said cooling chamber; and means for causing the circulation of cold air Within the cooling chamber.

5. In an apparatus solids the combination of a cooling chamber; a conveyer divided into a plurality of longitudinal ducts; means for supporting and causing'said conveyers to traverse said cooling chamber; means for feeding the said solids in liquid form to the Conveyerstrav- .ersing said cooling chamber; and means for causing'the circulation of cold air within the cooling chamber. 1

CABLETON BATJEIS.-

for cooling liquefied 

